Pirelli tyres to have six different colours for 2011 Formula 1 season
Pirelli have revealed the six colour codes they will be using in the upcoming Formula 1 season. The colours will differentiate between the tyres they supply at each grand prix.
The Italian company has secured themselves as the exclusive supplier of tyres for Formula One and replaced Bridgestone after the latter withdrew from being the tyre supplier for F1 at the end of 2010 season. The 2011 season will be the first according to
the three year contract the Italian company has signed. The company has decided to paint its logo in six different colours.
Logo for dry-weather tyres will be red on the super-soft and yellow on the soft tyres. White will be the colour on the medium tyres whereas, silver on the hard tyre. It will be orange on the full wet tyre and light blue on the intermediate.
Paul Hembery, the motorsport director for Pirelli said, “These will enable both live and television audiences to tell at a glance who is on what compounds, which will be vital knowledge as tyres are set to form a key part of race strategy this year.”
A glimpse at the 1986 Formula One reveals that this is not the first time Pirelli is using a colorful proposal for tyres. The Benetton team that year was supplied with the multi-coloured rubber as a part of the firm’s United Colours campaign.
The tyres this season have been deliberately designed to have less durability than in the past. This will force the teams to carry out more pit stops thereby, increasing the thrill and excitement in the racing as it will compel it to be more unpredictable.
Where the standard practice in the 2010 season was one or two stops, this year the teams are predicting at least three pit-stops in a single race.
Since according to rules, a two-compound gap is required between the two available types of dry-weather tyres at each race, there is no chance of the silver and white being baffled, as the hard and medium tyres will not be used at the same race. Each driver
is to use both types of dry-weather tyre in the course of a dry race however, he will have a free choice between full wet and intermediate tyres in a wet race.
Talking about the tyres, Pirelli’s spokesperson revealed, “The wet tyre is used in case of heavy rain, while the intermediate is for a damp or drying track. The super-soft provides plenty of speed at the expense of durability, while the soft tyre lasts a
bit longer but is still more biased towards performance. The medium tyre is a balanced compromise, while the hard tyre is the most durable of all.”
The hard and the soft tyres are to be taken to the races in Australia, Malaysia and China where the hard are the prime and the soft are the option for tyres.
The season opener at Albert Park is scheduled for March 27 with 24 cars lined up for the race..
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